


"peace of the banished (2020)", a book by NEW

by ㅎㅊ도 (HChnD)



Category: The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: (i do care but i pretend i dont so i dont get hurty), Aged-Up Character(s), Airplanes, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Author is tired, Author regrets nothing, Drabble, Gen, Strangers to enemies, anonymous writer chanhee, anyway i'm TIRED, bye, hater kevin, hence why i have so many drabbles in between long/heavily planned shit, i don't know how else to rest from fics, i mean this kinda Nice but like i need to sleep, i went to sleep at 4 am for this, lapslock, no beta I have no friends, no beta i just reached 35k in an old long wip and needed something to ease my mind, no beta we die like men, not smart to start a new fic to REST from another fic but like, ok not really hater but he's a reader with too many critics, the title looks bad doesnt it, the way that's not a tag smh, this was NOT a gift, this was meant to be me gifting myself for an achievement, time to bed, well. don't care
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:48:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23870014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HChnD/pseuds/%E3%85%8E%E3%85%8A%EB%8F%84
Summary: it was quite exciting for chanhee to meet one reader of his in public. this time, though, it wasn't such a pleasing encounter.
Relationships: Choi Chanhee | New & Moon Hyungseo | Kevin, Choi Chanhee | New/Moon Hyungseo | Kevin
Comments: 5
Kudos: 27





	"peace of the banished (2020)", a book by NEW

**Author's Note:**

> [prompt credits](https://twitter.com/thepromptz/status/966786338476449795)

chanhee wasn't exactly fond of interacting with strangers. he was quite reserved and so, whenever he could, he'd plug in his headphones and tone any background noise to enjoy his music or dramas. and this time wouldn't be different, as he had a three hours flight to endure. but then the man beside him opened his hand bad and took off a book way too familiar for him not to froze and stare.

 _sounds of the past_ , originally published in early 2019, written by an anonymous writer who signed by new. 

he knew the story and its details well, quite too well. he, choi chanhee, was new. that book was _by him_.

the man didn't notice that he was being watched, too immersed in the story probably. hopefully. either way, now that he knew that his seatmate was a reader of his, he removed his headphones and put them back into his pocket. he didn't like talking to strangers, but when it was about someone who read his works, that was another thing.

juyeon said he liked having his ego inflated. he would refute his best friend, because his purpose was purely for _research_. he couldn't ask anyone directly about what they thought of his story, right? he could lurk into social media - and he did do that, quite a lot at that - but there was something else with hearing the people speak about his works, to watch their expressions and intonations. it felt more genuine and it was way better than a few posts with slangs and improper grammar.

and so, chanhee stayed a few minutes in silence, patiently waiting for a cue for him to question the other. he couldn't interrupt his reading, that'd be so rude he couldn't even imagine doing such a thing. so he waited boredly, without any beat or series distracting him and instead looking around the plane, around the screen that was shut down, around the other who has his eyes fixed in the paper pages, big glasses resting on his nose.

( _wow_ , thinking now, the man was quite gorgeous. but, as soon as the thought popped up he brushed it away. he was _not_ going to admit being attracted to a fan of his. _boundaries_.)

eventually, the stranger closed the book slowly, staring at its back cover as if in awe. in disbelief. chanhee didn't look directly at him, but by the corner of the eye, he could see how he seemed, as the kids would say, mindblown.

that made him smirk a bit. 

and then he faked interest, looking to his side and 'spotting' the book. "oh! you read new-nim's works too?", he tried to ask casually, pointing at the cover. "that's so nice! none of my friends like their works, they think it's too dumb."

the other stared a bit at the book, and then up to chanhee, and then he snorted. and, once he replied to him, he'd wished he had never initiated the conversation.

because he had the audacity to say, "well, they have a point, i guess."

"excuse me?", he didn't even bother to mask his offence. "they haven't even read the masterpiece that is in your hands, they are not right."

"i mean, these books aren't _dumb_ dumb, but calling it a masterpiece is quite the stretch."

"...you didn't like it?", chanhee was not buying it. he was a best seller! and the dude has his book in hands, just finished it, how could he disrespect him like that?! "but that's the third book of the series. you can't tell me you started reading it from the middle."

"of course i didn't, i'm not stupid", he frowned at him. "i liked the first book. whispers of the night is amazing, so unique, it brought such potential to the series. the follow-ups ruined it all, though."

what the-- chanhee could not swallow the words he was given even if he tried. how dared he said that to him?

sure, he didn't know he was new. but even so, you can't go around and talk badly about other's works! especially his! that's his biggest and most cherished creation he was currently bashing!

" _elaborate_ ", he could only say.

"well, elly's path started really smoothly during doom of the lost ones. quite a cliche, the whole _used to be an ordinary person but is actually involved with something bigger that she didn't know existed until then_ trope is quite overused by now. but the development was really nice, why she didn't know of her past before, and the few hints of her story that was given as she discovered it herself were nicely done. like, the reader discovers with her why that one thing she couldn't understand happened like that, because of this whole faction thing that was happening around her despite her not knowing it", he paused to take a deep breath. "you could tell that the writer planned carefully her past and we can't even tell half of it by just reading the first few chapters, even the first book. we gotta continue to read to discover what's actually going on."

chanhee was speechless. the other had said many things, many that were positive, and that was quite good. but still.. "so? you just complimented it until now."

he sighed. "the first story was well done. but the rest is so rushed? it's almost as if the writer wanted to get it done as fast as possible and overlooked some points, left open questions behind as well as some plot holes. or maybe they got bored of the story, lost its sparkle, who knows."

"that's why you didn't like it? pfft", he scoffed freely, laughing afterwards. "sure, it's different to write when there is a demand from fans and editors, but it's pretty much the same pace. this all was planned way before the first book was finished, even if it was written afterwards."

"sure, new-nim had planned things before, but a writer can always change depending on the feedback and maybe even their own mood", he put a hand on his chest after saying that. "i am applying for a doctorate in literature. i'd know."

oh, _great_. he's a know-it-all. "you really think others would affect the flow of the story enough to change it?"

"it wouldn't be the first time."

"i disagree with you. and, it's not like changing plans at the last second is completely a bad thing."

"oh, that is a valid point. but it definitely did not work in here", the other continued, face serious. "anyway, it's not my only critique to new-nim's series."

"it's... not?"

"yeah", he fixed the glasses that was resting on the tip of his nose. "it's nice that the writer included so many diversity in the cast. but don't you feel that it lacks something more?"

chanhee blinked at that. "you're trying to say that new-nim's universe lacks diversity? when elly not only is pansexual, but has also met three lesbians, one who was trans, a polyamorous relationship between two bi men and a gay dude, as well as a guild made of mainly nonbinary people? especially when all of them but one of the lesbian girls are asians?"

"yeah", the stranger looked bored. "none of them are _black_."

"the universe is based off asia, though."

"are you saying that there are not any black person in asia? elly is not even pure asian anyway, she's half latina! and the _one_ person who isn't at least half asian is full caucasian."

he couldn't believe what he was listening. "so you're going to hate on the entire series because there isn't one person who is black in it?"

"no, i'm going to be disappointed at new-nim for not including any black person on the series. also, how come all the non-conforming people are those from the nonbinary guild? cis people can go beyond gender roles too."

"i'm not listening to this", chanhee finally declared, a hand travelling around his pocket in search of his handphones. "you sound like a way too politically correct reader."

the other scoffed by his side. "it's okay to critique what you read and raise points about it, even if they aren't good."

"whatever, i shouldn't have talked to _you_."

"you? we're strangers yet you're talking like that to me?"

"yeah. you are tasteless so i'm not going to be all polite."

" _i can't believe this_ ", he heard the other speak in english, not really understanding what those words meant. that made chanhee stop his movements.

"you're a foreigner?"

his seatmate stared at him for a while, not expecting the question. "yeah, i'm canadian. i live here though, i moved in when i was little."

"oh, that explains why you're so obsessed with representativity", he shrugged. "you don't have an accent though."

"i'm korean, dumbass."

"you just said you're canadian!"

"born and raised! but my parents are both koreans who grew up here, but they moved in when i was little and went back when i was-- wait, why am i telling you all of this?", he looked back at the writer. "why are you still talking to me anyway? you're clearly too biased about that dumb series so no use being friends or whatever."

he scoffed. "as if i'd like to be friends with you. i was trying to be nice."

"then try by not talking down on a total stranger!"

"pfft, you're probably younger than me anyway."

"i'm just naturally young-looking", he smiled in a forced way. "but i'm not that young. i'm twenty-seven."

chanhee glared at the other darkly. "you are _not_ my age."

"no way!", the other was laughing at his face. "please, i thought you were twenty at most, with such immature thoughts. i _cannot_ believe this."

"ugh, can this plane reach its destination already."

that just made the other laugh more. "aww, baby, want to go so soon? we still have a while to get to know each other."

"i do _not_ want to know you."

"i'm kevin."

"didn't ask."

"you can call me hyungseo though. that's my korean name."

 _that was it_ , chanhee thought to himself as he plugged in his headphones and brought his attention to his phone. he could still hear kevin's laugher beside him until the song started playing, muffling the sound.

ah yes, peace. finally.

thankfully, his seatmate did not try to start any new conversation. the rest of the flight was uneventful, the two men refusing to acknowledge the other. or at least chanhee hoped that the other was on the same as him, that being him not wanting them to interact any more so that they could pretend they had never met once their paths diverged.

and that seemed to be true, that is, until there were a couple of minutes until the plane landed. he felt a hand poking his shoulder and, automatically pulling one side and turning to his left, he saw kevin looking at him with a blank expression.

"why do you like this series so much?", he asked suddenly.

"...why do you care?"

"it doesn't make sense to me", he continued after a while. "i've met many fans who are passionate about their likes but it doesn't seem to be _your_ case."

"what even is your point?"

kevin tilted his head at that. "it seemed more like you were trying to protect the writer's honour rather than trying to convince me why the book was actually good."

that made chanhee pause and blink. he hated that what he said made sense, and not only that, was completely right. he wasn't trying to convince kevin, he wasn't a fan. he's new, the writer himself, and hearing those words did do things to his pride. maybe juyeon had a point when he said this whole questioning readers thing was a matter of feeding his ego, because the one time where that didn't happen had shattered a bit too deeply.

goddammit. he was raising his brow at his silence and it annoyed him. he hated that kevin was right, hated that kevin had so many critiques over his work, but more importantly, he hated how attractive he looked while doing so. it was not fair, he hated him, even if he didn't know that he was new! and chanhee hated him back! and they'd never meet again anyway! this was all so damn stupid, he shouldn't be so on the edge because of this.

he took a couple of minutes to reply, interrupted by the announcements that the plane was on land. he took it as luck being on his side, saving him from _this one_.

"you must have interpreted my words wrongly", he decided to say instead. he got up, grabbing his handbag before walking away from the plane. he didn't look back - why would he? - and casually walked through the gates. it was whatever, he was back to his city and would need to take quite a long ride back home. he couldn't wait until his head hit his pillow and he could sleep this day away--

"wait!"

chanhee turned around, staring at kevin's figure who was walking towards him. why was he chasing him in the aeroplane? they didn't know each other and they had no reason to keep in touch. "yes?"

"can't i have your name, at least? you do know mines after all", he crossed his arms. "both of them. it's only fair, don't you think?"

that made him frown, but he caught himself considering it. _should he_? but he was just a stranger he'd probably never meet again. was there any reason to properly introduce himself to the other? 

he put some thought at it, and then decided to smile at him, walking closer to the other so that he'd hear his whisper. "i'm new."

chanhee didn't stay long to watch his reaction. instead, he walked calmly to grab his small luggage, quick to spot it, and once he had everything checked he marched outside, in search of a taxi. lucky enough, he had found one that was available, and he had yet to walk over kevin a second time. thankfully, whatever that encounter was, ended.

now that he had his luggage with him, he could open and grab his precious notebook. he turned it on, glad to know it had enough battery for the ride to his home. so, chanhee didn't think twice before opening his latest draft, for the book he had currently been stuck on. suddenly, after all that had happened, he was quite inspired to work on this book.

 _peace of the banished_ , it said on the document's name. chanhee smiled to himself.

(kevin better like everything about this book once he releases it, after the numerous critics he had to listen and accept. because, out of every review he had gotten in his entire career, his was the one that hit him the hardest, and the one he took by heart the longest.)


End file.
